E-Financial
Finance in Motion Partners Oradian On Financial Inclusion Expansion Drives
Finance in Motion, one of the world’s leading advisors in impact investing, has announced the purchase of an equity stake in Oradian, based in Zagreb, Croatia, developer of a cloud-based banking system that supports financial inclusion in economically challenged regions.
The stake marks Finance in Motion’s first investment in the burgeoning financial services technology sector known as fintech.
The company said it was attracted to Oradian’s pioneering cloud-based platform Instafin, an all-in-one solution for microfinance institutions and banks looking to avoid large initial costs and improve current performance.
Instafin, making use of the prevalence of stable cellular coverage in regions where cabling infrastructure and even electricity supply is questionable, is an ideal low cost, scalable and therefore low risk disruptive product based on the Software as a Service (SaaS) business model.
Giving evidence to its robustness, one of its first users, a microfinance institution in Nigeria, operates in a region plagued by armed conflict and still managed to more than double its client base to 200,000 in just two years.
Florian Meister, Finance in Motion managing director, said: “We firmly believe in the transformative potential of financial services technologies such as Instafin. This product has established its ability to promote financial inclusion, one of our primary goals, by allowing microfinance institutions and banks to serve more customers, even in regions many people would be afraid to visit, let alone do business there. This product also eliminates the high costs associated with traditional hosted solutions, outlays that often create a significant market barrier for many institutions.”
Also speaking, Antonio Separovic, Oradian’s managing director, said: “Oradian is more than a software company – we’re a partner that helps microfinance institutions and banks to build their own capacity for growth, transform their businesses, and meet the needs of the 2.5 billion people worldwide at the base of the economic Press release Page 2 of 2 pyramid. We are excited to partner with one of the world’s leading impact investors because it shares our vision for helping microfinance institutions and rural banks to catalyse economic growth and give people access to financial tools that improve their lives. We hope to learn from Finance in Motion’s extensive experience in responsible finance and their work with leading service providers and partners in low- and middle-income economies.”
Finance in Motion is one of the world’s leading advisors for impact investing, Finance in Motion focuses exclusively on forprofit funds promoting sustainable economic, social and environmental progress in emerging economies and developing countries.
With more than EUR 1.5 billion in assets under management, the company leverages development aid through public-private partnerships.
In line with the goals of its funds, Finance in Motion promotes long-term relationships and helps partners develop their business.
Backed by 14 local offices spread through the more than 20 countries it serves, Finance in Motion advises the following development finance vehicles: the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), which finances micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSME finance); the Green for Growth Fund (GGF), which targets reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions; the SANAD Fund for MSME in the Middle East and North Africa; and the eco.business Fund, whose goal is the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Oradian is also the global technology provider developing solutions that enable financial inclusion.
Its simple and intuitive cloud-based platform empowers financial institutions tackling the challenges to connect billions of potential clients at the base of the economic pyramid to financial services and improves performance, access data in real-time, reduce costs and scale services quickly and efficiently.
Using a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, Oradian’s flagship product, Instafin, enables microfinance institutions and banks, co-operatives and credit unions to serve the most rural clients affordably and effectively.
The team of technologists, finance specialists and economic development experts share a deep understanding of the very real challenges facing financial service providers in developing and frontier markets.
E-Financial
First Securities Brokers Empowers Nigerians to Trade in the Stock Market with the Launch of FirstInvest App
First Securities Brokers, one of Nigeria’s leading stockbroking firms and a subsidiary of FirstHoldCo Plc, is pleased to announce the official launch of the FirstInvest App, an innovative mobile investment platform designed to make stock market investing simpler, faster, and more accessible for Nigerians.
The FirstInvest App offers investors a seamless digital experience, enabling them to open and manage their investment accounts, monitor their portfolios, and trade equities listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) directly from their mobile devices.
Designed with both new and experienced investors in mind, the platform combines convenience, security, and ease of use to help users make informed investment decisions anytime and anywhere.
As Nigeria continues to embrace digital financial services, the FirstInvest App reinforces First Securities Brokers’ commitment to driving financial inclusion and expanding access to wealth creation opportunities through technology.
Speaking on the launch, Fiona Ahmed Ahimie, Managing Director of First Securities Brokers, said: “The launch of the FirstInvest App represents another significant milestone in our digital transformation journey and our commitment to delivering innovative investment solutions to our clients.
“We understand that today’s investors value convenience, speed, and accessibility. FirstInvest has been developed to provide exactly that: a secure and intuitive platform that empowers individuals to participate confidently in the capital market from wherever they are.”
She added: “Our goal is to remove the traditional barriers associated with investing by placing the power of timely investment and decision making in the stock market directly in the hands of Nigerians. Whether you are taking your first investment step, actively managing your portfolio or just evaluating your investment, FirstInvest provides the tools and flexibility needed to support your financial aspirations.”
The app delivers a range of features designed to enhance your investing experience, including: Secure digital account opening and onboarding, Real-time access to investment portfolios, Buy and sell Nigerian equities with ease, User-friendly trading interface, Secure transaction processing, Convenient access to market information and investment opportunities.
The launch of FirstInvest aligns with First Securities Brokers’ broader strategy of leveraging technology to improve customer experience while supporting the growth of retail participation in Nigeria’s capital market.
First Securities Brokers remains committed to providing trusted investment advisory services, innovative financial solutions, and exceptional customer service, helping clients build and preserve wealth across generations. The FirstInvest App is now available for download on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
The next currency crisis could accelerate the shift of the roughly $315 billion global stablecoin market into a digital-dollar alternative for citizens in emerging economies, notably in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
As local fiat currencies face devaluation and high inflation, citizens and businesses are increasingly utilizing smartphone-based stablecoins (such as USDT and USDC) as hedges and primary mediums of exchange.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the rapid adoption of dollar-linked digital assets—particularly in countries heavily affected by inflation like Nigeria—poses significant risks to monetary sovereignty.
With up to 95% of surveyed individuals in some African markets preferring to receive payments in stablecoins over local fiat, the rising volume of these decentralized, cross-border channels weakens domestic currency demand and dilutes the effectiveness of local monetary policy.
IMF observed in a report titled “Stablecoins in Nigeria: A Growing Cross-Border Channel” noted that the widespread use of stablecoins poses risks to monetary sovereignty, particularly as more individuals and businesses turn to digital dollar-linked assets for savings and transactions.
Nodding in agreement is Future Investment Initiative Institute (FII Institute), a non-profit organisation run by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s main sovereign wealth fund.
FII Institute said that central banks face structural challenges.
And according to the institute, when citizens move savings out of national banks and into private digital wallets, conventional capital controls lose their grip.
Institutions like the Bank for International Settlements warn that interest-bearing stablecoins compete directly with domestic-currency deposits, complicating financial oversight and making smartphone-based transfers incredibly difficult for authorities to monitor.
In Nigeria, Naira depreciation has pushed users toward dollar-stablecoins, according to report by Gino Matos in cryptoslate.com.
A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a steady value by pegging its price to a reserve asset, such as a fiat currency (e.g., the U.S. dollar) or a commodity (e.g., gold).
They act as a bridge between traditional money and the digital asset world, providing the speed of crypto without the extreme price swings of assets like Bitcoin.
Federal government has reopened three federal government of Nigeria (FGN) bond issues valued at N1.2 trillion for subscription as part of efforts to raise long-term funds from the domestic debt market.
The Debt Management Office (DMO), which announced the offer on Tuesday, said the three reopened bond issues are each valued at N400 billion.
According to the DMO, the first offer is the January 2035 FGN Bond, a 10-year reopening, carrying an interest rate of 22.60 per cent per annum.
The second is the May 2028 FGN Bond, a 15-year reopening, with a coupon rate of 15.45 per cent per annum, while the third is the June 2037 FGN Bond, a 20-year reopening, also valued at N400 billion.
The office said the bond auction is scheduled for July 20, while successful subscriptions will be settled on July 22.
It explained that the bonds are offered at N1,000 per unit, with a minimum subscription of N50 million and additional investments in multiples of N1,000.
For the reopened bonds, the DMO said successful bidders would pay a price based on the yield-to-maturity that clears the auction, in addition to any accrued interest on the instruments.
Interest on the bonds will be paid every six months, while the principal will be repaid in full on the respective maturity dates.
The DMO reaffirmed that FGN bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government and constitute obligations chargeable on the general assets of the federation.
It added that the bonds qualify as trustee investment securities under the Trustee Investment Act and enjoy tax exemptions for eligible investors, including pension funds, under the Company Income Tax Act and Personal Income Tax Act.
The bonds are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and FMDQ Securities Exchange and also qualify as liquid assets for banks in computing their liquidity ratios.
FGN bonds are long-term debt instruments through which investors lend money to the Federal Government in exchange for periodic interest payments and repayment of the principal at maturity.
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